The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-05-04
Another Desperate and Successful Western
Railway Train Robbery.
The Ecsns Near Tucson, Arizona, on the
Southern Pacific Road.
A Few DeSpsradoss Capture the Conductor,
Engineer and Entire Train.
Passengers Not MoIested-Ths Money
stOlen-Rewards O1sred-NO Trace
of the Robbers, Etc.
AN EMPRESS CAR PLUNDERED.
Daring Robbery on :he Southern Pacific
Railroad.


Railroad.
SAN Francisco, April 2S.-One of the
most audacious, desperate, and successful
train robberies that was ever recorded, Oc-
CURED yesterday on the west-bound over
land train on the Southern Pacific Rail-
road, near Tucson, Arizona. A special
dispatch from Tucson gives the following
details of the affair:
The WesteIn-bound express due here at
1880 last evening was stopped and robbed
at Papsgo Station, eighteen miles east of
here, about $50 o'clock last evening. The
number Of men engaged in the robbery is
variously estimated at from five to eight.
Colonel Harper, the engineer, when ap-
preaching Papago, a side station. was sig
nailed by a red lantern to stop. He slowed
down, and as he approached the light he
noticed distractions on the track so
placed that in case he failed to
stop the engine would spread the
track and 6erail itself. Immediately
on stopping 9 dozen or more shots were
fred into the express car, and a man with
pistol IL each hand boarded the locOmo-
tive and commanded Harper not to get
down. The other robbers had in the
meantime been prying open the express
car, and failing TO get ii open they placed
a stick OF giant powder under it and CON-
PEELED Harper to light the fuse attached.
This he was obliged to do, but TO avoid be-
car and the robbers took possession. After
extingnishing the fuse they then took
charge OF the car, uncoupled the engine,
baggage and express car from the re.
mainder of the ram and made Harper get
on the engine and pull ahead two lengths.
This being done Harper was again put OF
and the robbers took charge OF the engine
and pulled six miles toward Tucson. Here
they killed" the engine and left it. Dur
ing the run the robbers went through the
mail and express cars, but did not
get more than 5000. They got
two packages of railroad money,
one of S12l0 and one OF
stamps going to the postOffice at San Fran
cisco. 1t is reported that the express mes
senger threw $500 in gold into stove
and saved it from the robbers. Nothing
was known here Of the affair until past
midnight, when q telegram was received
from Pantano. a brakeman having walked
back eight miles TO that place. a special
was sent down and the train brought in at
O'Clock this morning. None OF the pas
seDgers were molested. Some of the pas
sengers knew nothing of the trouble until
after their arrival here. Under Sheriff
Shibell was early at the scene of the
trouble, but could discover nothing that
would lead to the identity of the robbers.
Ten trailers under Deputy Sheriff NJ. f.
Shaw have left for the scene of the trouble
The robbers are believed to be discharged
railroad employees, although they COM
PEELED Engineer Harper to show them how
to handle the locomotive. 1t is believed
by their actions in handling the train that
they were familiar with such work.
Immediately upon the receipt of the
news at the Office of the Southern Pacific
Company in this city, Mr.. a. n. Towne,
general manager, issued the following cir
cular, with orders to the company's agents
to post in conspicuous places:
''The mail and express cars on our west
bound express train, when at point seven
teen miles east of Tucson, Ariz., at 10
O'Clock last night, were stopped and robbed
by four or five men. The Southern Pacific
Railroad Company hereby offers a reward
of 81, 900 each for the arrest and conviction
of the robbers, which is in addition to a
like reward offered by the Wells, Fargo e
Co. Express. In addition to this, we I'M
derstand the United States lPostofice De
paItme1t has q standing reward OF 5000
each for the arrest and conviction of per-
sons who engage in robbing the mails"
From information received by him Gen.
eral Manager Towne said this afternoon, in
reference 10 the affair: There were five
shots fred from the band OF robbers into
the express car after the train had been
brought to stop. When the train came
to a standstill the engineer and fremen
were ordered to get of the engine, which
they did. Then they were each given a
stick Of giant powder and told that they
must compel the mail agents and express
messengers to open the car or the robbers
would, with Tevolvers, compel them to
light the dynamite to destroy the
car. Under these threats the express
messenger and mail agents abandoned
their car. The robbers then uncoupled
the locomotive, express and mail cars from
the train and got on the engine and ran
down the track two miles, There they
stopped and took all the money they could
find. The money obtained from Wells,
Fargo & Co. was about 5000. No pas
sengers were molested. The robbers did
not enter the passenger cars. When the
robbers went on the locomotive, they left
the engineer and fireman standing beside
the track. The engineer and fireman fol-
lowed the course taken and took the loco
motive and cars back to the train and pro-
ceeded westward. No one was injured, and
i have not yet heard as TO whether the
mail was riaed."
Additional facts were received concern
ing the robbery in dispatches to Wells,
Fargo & Co. They were to the effect that
the train was iheld. up three miles east of
Papego, in a cut. The mail was robbed as
well as the express. No one was injured
by shooting. When the news was carried
back to Pantano concerning the robbery,
United States Marshal Mead and deputy
with two Deputy Sheriffs and two others
started after the train. The locomotive and
cars were found at the whistling post, about
one mile west of Papago. The engine was
dead" The headlight was put out and
air brakes on. There was no trace of the
robbers. Marshal Mead sent for troops to
Fort Lowell and thrty-hve soldiers left
there at o'clock this morning to scour
the country. officer Harris was expected
to arrive soon, and another party with
Indian trailers was expected to arrive from
Yuma to hunt for the robbers.
Colonel Wilder superintendent of the
mail service, said this afternoon that he
had Just received a dispatch from Mr..
True, the mail agent on the route between
Los Angeles and Deming, concerning the
robbery. Mail and express agents were
given Just one and one-half minutes to get
ont under threats of being blown up with
dynamite, and they at once got out. The
express messenger saved S., 600 from the
robbers by hastily hiding 1t. The extent
of the mail robbery Colonel Wilder did
not know. Mr.. True had telegraphed that
he would send particulars from Los Ange-
les. The express was running light on this
trip. With the rewards offered by the rail-
road company, Wells, Fargo & Co., and
the standing offer OF the Postoffic Depart
ment, it will profit whoever may be the
captor OF the robbers-S2, 200 for each capt
ure.